The Words of the Father

When writing about someone as interesting and multi-faceted as Naticksqw (pronounced Nah-tick-squaw) the hardest part is deciding where to begin. Do you start by mentioning she is one of 12 children? That she grew up in rural Massachusetts in a house with no heating? Do you begin by describing the quiet energy that radiates from her? That she is also known as Chief Caring Hands, from the Praying Indian tribe? Or perhaps you start by mentioning that she is a channeler —a person through whom God speaks.

Yes, let’s begin with that.

Naticksqw first started receiving words from God when she was just a teenager. At first, she didn’t know what was happening. “People were astounded by the words God was saying to me, so I wrote them down,” she says, “and turned them into poetry.” The people who read the words considered her an “old soul.” She says, “That’s nice to hear when you’re in your 60s, but not in your youth.”

She never knows when she will receive messages. “I keep paper with me all the time,” Naticksqw says with a smile. “I never know when The Father will speak to me.”

When asked why she was chosen to receive these messages, Naticksqw replies, “I never ask ‘why me’ but instead, ‘why not me?’ He chose me to speak to a world in need of healing.” Her ancestral background with the Praying Indian tribe of Massachusetts—the first Native American tribe to convert to Christianity—taught her to see God in everything. She says, “The hand of God created all that we see—the trees, the rocks, the animals, the wind. All indigenous people recognize one God. He may go by different names in each language but it is the same God.”

Growing up extremely poor in rural Massachusetts taught her not to take anything for granted. “Poverty leaves a horrible mark on you,” she says. “A scar is a scar, whether it’s physical or emotional.” She and her 11 siblings learned not only to live off of but also to love the land. “I was in touch with the ground and the grass and the dew. Dancing on that ground was even better.”

Naticksqw is married to Lyn Hovey, a world-renowned stained glass artist who spends several months a year in La Antigua Guatemala. They met at a Native American Pow-Wow where Naticksqw was giving a presentation. As Lyn says, “I saw her and heard her speak and I knew I had to meet this amazing woman.” And the rest, as they say, is history.

Lyn had a difficult time persuading Naticksqw to travel to his beloved La Antigua. For the first 60 years of her life, Naticksqw refused to leave the United States. It was not due to a fear of flying. She says, “I thought if I left my native soil I would be betraying my people, my roots.” However, God spoke to her and explained that all of the Earth is one piece of land—just that certain parts are under water. It was that conversation that convinced her to get a passport and travel.

On her first visit to Guatemala, Naticksqw was fascinated by how the indigenous people hold on to their culture. “It reminded me of what happened to my people. Language, culture, dress—it was all stolen from us. If I walked around in my full regalia dress in my country, I might be made fun of.” She finds the Guatemalan women to be especially beautiful. “To see these women with their traditional clothing, carrying baskets on their heads—walking as regally as a queen—they have the old souls of their ancient selves by staying true to their culture. I just want to tell these women it is beautiful and they should not give this up.”

Naticksqw created a book, The Words of the Father, from the messages spoken to her. She refused to let the book be edited, for obvious reasons. “If someone were to edit it, they would no longer be His words,” she explains. During our interview she read a few passages from the book. As she spoke, I found myself leaning forward and holding my breath, not wanting to miss anything. “I love God with all that I have—that is what I know,” she says emphatically. “Each time I speak, I am speaking for the Father to his children. God has only one voice, but people have forgotten what it sounds like.”

Naticksqw will be conducting a workshop and a book reading at El Sitio on November 5 & 6.

Whether you are interested in Naticksqw for spiritual, historical or cultural reasons, I encourage you to meet this fascinating woman in person. For more information on her book, visit www.thewordsofthefather.org. To learn more about the Praying Indians of Massachusetts, visit www.natickprayingindians.org

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